Tamworth Country Music Festival
The Tamworth Pipe Band was invited this year to lead the street parade celebrating the 2008 Country Music Festival, held each year here in Tamworth.
What has the Scottish Pipes & Drums got to do with Country Music, you might ask? Well… Australia is overwhelmingly a nation of immigrants and their descendants.
The 2006 Census figures indicates Australians of Scottish decent total some 1.5 Million and 1.8 Million Irish.
This strong Celtic influence can be heard in the toe tapping country music often heard around pubs & clubs today. Bush bands in particular have a very obvious musical sound derived from our Celtic past.
In the 2006 census, country of origin, has Scotland 4th, only to Australia, England, & Ireland. This is only 218 yrs since the first fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour. The Pipes are very much a direct link to our Celtic ancestry and are immediately associated with Scotland or our own Mel Gibson’s movie ‘Braveheart’. They have even crossed over into the rock genre with Australian Icons such as AC/DC and John Farnham. So yes… The Scottish Pipes and Drums are very much part of Australia’s Country Music Identity.
Tamworth Show 1st March 2008 
ANZAC Day 
Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival 
Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival 
Donation of $500 from The West Tamworth Sports and Bowling Club.
104th Maclean Highland Gathering
21st-22nd March 2008
Another hectic Easter Weekend for the Tamworth Pipe Band at the Maclean Highland Gathering.
Tamworth Pipe Band was given 2nd prize in the street march through Maclean, for being best dressed, which was a terrific effort and a great start to the day.
Out of 17 competing bands in the grade 4 competition Tamworth finished equal 10th. Unfortunately one set of pipes played up during the performance and the judge had little option then to mark us down. We can take heart, however, in the fact that the band did play really well on the day and some things are just bad luck.
Other results: –
Elementary Piping
March 2/4
Heat No.1
1st Michael Murray Tamworth Pipe Band
Slow Air
Heat No.3
2nd Ben Hunt Tamworth Pipe Band
Unfortunately both Michael & Ben were knocked out in the finals, however a terrific effort.
Elementary Drumming-Tenor
1st Alex Hunt Tamworth Pipe Band
2nd Sarah Murray Tamworth Pipe Band
Maclean Highland Gathering 
Maclean Highland Gathering
Aberdeen Highland Games
Mr Charles Cooke has finally organized a decent sunny day for the Highland games at Aberdeen.
Approximately 16 Bands were in attendance to entertain the crowds which were huge. Two Massed Bands, displays throughout the day and stalls a plenty.
The Tamworth Pipe Band was awarded 3rd prize on the day and 4 bottles of scotch.
Needless to say everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day.
